Many devices include GUIs presenting widgets. A “widget” refers to a screen element on a video display. The GUIs may illustrate focus for a particular one of the widgets, indicating that the widget has been selected. “Focus” refers to any visual information distinguishing one displayed widget from other displayed widgets, and all events from an input device are typically directed to a currently focused widget. For example, the device may highlight the selected widget on the GUI or display it in a different color compared with the other displayed widgets. Users may select widgets using a pointing device, such as “mouse,” to move a cursor to a particular widget and “click on” the widget to select it. These pointing devices thus allow direct selection of widgets.
Not all devices with GUIs, however, include associated pointing devices. For example, set-top boxes for televisions typically include only the box and a keyboard. In order for a user to select a widget displayed on an associated television, the user must use keys on the keyboard, such as arrow keys, to move focus from one widget to the next. A system controlling the focus of the widgets thus must interpret those directional commands from the arrow keys in order to determine the next widget to receive focus. Determining which widget to receive focus is further complicated when many widgets are displayed and potentially overlapping one another.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method to determine which widget will focus based upon user-entered directional information in order to effect a visually appealing interaction with the GUI.